An educator's perspective of Dr. Feingold's K-P (Kaiser- Permanents) elimination diet for hyperkinetic children and others

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Abstract

Do evaluation of the literature and a regional
observational report support Dr. Feingold's claim that the
K-P (Kaiser-Permanente) elimination diet improves the
behaviours of hyperkinetic children, and others?
Dr. Feingold suggests that some hyperkinetic
children, and other children as well, are genetically
predisposed to intolerance of food additives, particularly
food colours and flavours. He claims that the K-P diet,
that eliminates salicylates and artificial food colours
and flavours, improves the hyperkinetic child's behaviour,
muscle co-ordination, and scholastic performance. Public
acceptance of the K-P diet has outstripped acceptance in the
medical and scientific communities. Evaluation of available
data and additional studies are needed to arrive at a
conclusion of acceptance or rejection of the K-P diet for
hyperkinetic children and others.
My interest in the K-P elimination diet for hyperkinetic
children is educational. My experience as an
elementary school teacher in special education and in the
classroom from K-8 has taught me that attentiveness is crucial to learning. Hyperkinesis appears to impair a
child's ability to attend. Learning problems appear,
followed by behavioural and social problems. l
If we accept the possibility of a relationship
between diet and attentiveness, and attentiveness and
school behaviours, then the diet-behaviour link could be
of lay importance. For instance, if a diet such as the
K-P diet could do what is claimed, substantial benefits
could accrue to the child. One could, for example, improve
a child's behaviours. One could identify attending disturbances
early in the child's education, possibly minimizing,
or eliminating future difficulties in school. Finally,
the greatest benefit may be the fulfillment of the basic
goal of our Ontario schools, that the eh~ld-,lIla1p.evelop
happily and competently within our educational framework. 2
This thesis reports evidence from the literature
and from a regional observational investigation to determine
the possibility of a link between the behaviours of
children and Dr. Feingold's K-P elimination diet. The
literature research examines (1) Dr. Feingold's concept of
H-LD, (2) his K-P elimination diet, and (3) the response
from three sectors, medicine, science, and the public.
The regional investigation examines the observed behaviours
of nine children in Regional Niagara during a nine-month period on the K-P diet.